IGNITER HAVING A MULTIFUNCTIONAL PLUG

AMORCE MUNIE D'UN BOUCHON MULTIFONCTIONNEL

English Abstract

The invention relates to an igniter (8) for seismic prospection or for mining applications or for use in the crude oil and natural gas industries, comprising a detonator (7) in which an explosive material, an igniting element and internal wires (4) for initiating the igniting element are arranged, wherein the internal wires (4) lead into a plug (1, 2) which is arranged at one end of the detonator (7). In order for the user of the igniter to be able to introduce external wires (6) into the plug (1, 2) without having to strip said wires of insulation beforehand, and, in the plug (1, 2), for the internal wires (4) to be electrically connected to the external wires (6), without the external wires (6) requiring any plug and socket connector or mating part of a plug and socket connector, according to the invention, the plug is designed as a multifunctional plug (1, 2).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne une amorce (8) destinée à la prospection séismique ou à des applications minières ou destinée à être utilisée dans l'industrie du pétrole et du gaz naturel, comportant une capsule fulminante (7) dans laquelle sont disposés une substance explosive, un élément d'allumage et des fils internes (4) assurant l'initialisation de l'élément d'allumage, les fils internes (4) aboutissant dans un bouchon (1, 2) qui est agencé à une extrémité de la capsule fulminante (7). L'invention vise à ce que l'utilisateur de l'amorce puisse introduire des fils externes (6) dans le bouchon (1, 2) de manière simple sans devoir préalablement les dénuder, et à ce que la connexion électrique des fils internes (4) et externes (6) se fasse dans le bouchon (1, 2), les fils externes (6) n'étant munis d'aucun connecteur enfichable ou d'aucun élément complémentaire d'un connecteur enfichable. A cette fin, le bouchon est un bouchon multifonctionnel (1, 2). L'invention concerne une amorce (8) destinée à la prospection séismique ou à des applications minières ou destinée à être utilisée dans l'industrie du pétrole et du gaz naturel, comportant une capsule fulminante (7) dans laquelle sont disposés une substance explosive, un élément d'allumage et des fils internes (4) assurant l'initialisation de l'élément d'allumage, les fils internes (4) aboutissant dans un bouchon qui est agencé à une extrémité de la capsule fulminante (7). L'invention vise à ce que l'utilisateur de l'amorce puisse introduire des fils externes dans le bouchon de manière simple sans devoir préalablement les dénuder, et à ce que la connexion électrique des fils internes avec les fils externes se fasse dans le bouchon, les fils externes n'étant munis d'aucun connecteur enfichable ou d'aucun élément complémentaire d'un connecteur enfichable. A cette fin, le bouchon est un bouchon multifonctionnel et a) il présente un corps de base de bouchon (1) et un couvercle de bouchon (2) mobile dans le corps de base de bouchon (1), le couvercle de bouchon (2) pouvant être déplacé d'un premier niveau d'actionnement à un second niveau d'actionnement, b) des canaux de logement (9) servant à l'introduction des fils externes (6) sont ménagés dans le corps de base de bouchon (1), c) sur le couvercle de bouchon (2) sont agencés des plongeurs (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) qui dans le premier niveau d'actionnement ne pénètrent pas dans les canaux de logement (9), mais qui pénètrent dans les canaux de logement (9) dans le second niveau d'actionnement et y déplacent perpendiculairement aux canaux de logement (9) un fil externe (6) introduit, d) un contact autodénudant (3) en forme de fente pénètre dans chacun des canaux de logement (9), les contacts autodénudants (3) étant connectés aux fils internes (6) et les plongeurs (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) enfonçant dans le second niveau d'actionnement les fils externes (6) dans les contacts autodénudants (3) de telle manière que les contacts autodénudants (3) dénudent les fils externes (6) et établissent une connexion électrique des fils externes (6) avec les fils internes (4).

Claims

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Claims
1. Igniter (8) for seismic prospection, for mining applications, or for use in
the
crude oil or natural gas industry, having a detonator (7) in which an
explosive
material, an igniting element, and internal wires (4) for initializing the
igniting
element are situated, the internal wires (4) leading into a plug situated at
one
end of the detonator (7), characterized in that the plug is a multifunctional
plug and has
a) a plug base body (1) and a plug cover (2) which is displaceable in the
plug base body (1), the plug cover (2) being displaceable from a first
actuating stage into a second actuating stage,
b) receiving channels (9) situated in the plug base body (1) for introducing
external wires (6),
c) pressure plungers (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) situated on the plug cover (2),
which in the first actuating stage do not protrude into the receiving
channels (9), but which in the second actuating stage protrude into the
receiving channels (9) and displace an external wire (6), introduced at
that location, perpendicularly with respect to the receiving channels (9),
d) a slot-shaped blade contact (3) which protrudes into each of the receiving
channels (9), the blade contacts (9) being connected to the internal wires
(6), and in the second actuating stage the pressure plungers (10a, 10b,
10c, 10d) pushing the external wires (6) into the blade contacts (3) in
such a way that the blade contacts (3) strip the insulation from the
external wires (6) and establish an electrical connection of the external
wires (6) with the internal wires (4).
2. Igniter according to Claim 1, characterized in that a shorting jumper (5)
is
situated in the plug base body (1), and in the first actuating stage short-
circuits the internal wires (4) and/or the associated blade contacts (3), and
in
the second actuating stage a short-circuit plunger (11) situated on the plug

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cover (2) releases the shorting jumper (5) from the internal wires (4) and/or
the associated blade contacts (3) and eliminates the short circuit.
3. Igniter according to Claim 2, characterized in that the shorting jumper (5)
is
spring-loaded, or is a spring element which in the second actuating stage is
pushed away from the electrical contact by the short-circuit plunger (11)
against the elastic force thereof.
4. Igniter according to one of Claims 1 through 3, characterized in that the
plug
cover (2) has circumferential grooves (12) on its peripheral surface for
accommodating sealing rings which seal the plug cover (2) with respect to the
plug base body (1).
5. Igniter according to one of Claims 1 through 4, characterized in that the
plug
cover (2) and the plug base body (1) have a cylindrical design.
6. Igniter according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the
plug cover (2) has a function plunger (13) by means of which the plug cover
is guided in the plug base body (1), and on its side facing away from the plug
base body (1) the function plunger (13) has an actuating plate (14) which
abuts against the plug base body (1) in the second actuating stage.
7. Igniter according to Claim 6, characterized in that the pressure plungers
(10a,
10b, 10c, 10d) and the short-circuit plunger (11) are situated on the side of
the function plunger (13) facing the plug base body (1), and the actuating
plate (14) is situated on the other side.
8. Igniter according to one of Claims 1 through 7, characterized in that at
least
one pressure plunger (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) is situated in each case in front of
and behind the blade contact (3) in the direction of the receiving channels
(9).

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9. Igniter according to one of Claims 1 through 8, characterized in that the
plug
base body (1) is filled with a water-repellent, gel-like medium for protection
against penetrating moisture.
10. Igniter according to one of Claims 1 through 9, characterized in that the
plug
base body (1) and the plug cover (2) are plastic parts.

Description

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Igniter having a multifunctional plug
The invention relates to an igniter for seismic prospection, for mining
applications, or for use in the crude oil or natural gas industry, having a
detonator
in which an explosive material, an igniting element, and internal wires for
initializing the igniting element are situated, the internal wires leading
into a plug
situated at one end of the detonator.
Igniters for seismic prospection or mining applications are produced by the
manufacturer nowadays in prefabricated lengths of wire (generally between 1 m
and 75 m long, and either folded or wound onto spools) and sold to the
customer.
Alternatively, it is possible to provide the igniter with a plug which is
designed as
a plug-in connector. The wire of prefabricated length, which is provided with
the
mating part of the plug-in connector, is then supplied to fit this plug-in
connector.
The object of the invention is to improve an igniter according to the preamble
of
Claim 1 in such a way that the user is able to easily introduce external wires
into
the plug without having to strip the wires of insulation beforehand, and for
the
electrical connection of the internal wires with the external wires to be
established in the plug. The aim is that the external wires do not have a plug-
in
connector or the mating part of a plug-in connector. The need for the external
wire to be prefabricated is thus avoided.
In one refinement of the invention, the internal wires of the igniter in the
transport
state should have a short circuit which compensates for possible differences
in
electrical potential during the connection process, and which in the use state
is
open, i.e., ready to use. In addition, the igniter in the use state should be
impervious to liquid.

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According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the plug is a
multifunctional plug, and has
a) a plug base body and a plug cover which is displaceable in the plug base
body, the plug cover being displaceable from a first actuating stage into a
second actuating stage,
b) receiving channels situated in the plug base body for introducing external
wires,
c) pressure plungers situated on the plug cover, which in the first actuating
stage
do not protrude into the receiving channels, but which in the second actuating
stage protrude into the receiving channels and displace an external wire,
introduced at that location, perpendicularly with respect to the receiving
channels,
d) a slot-shaped blade contact which protrudes into each of the receiving
channels, the blade contacts being connected to the internal wires, and in the
second actuating stage the pressure plungers pushing the external wires into
the blade contacts in such a way that the blade contacts strip the insulation
from the external wires and establish an electrical connection of the external
wires with the internal wires.
Due to the design of the plug as a multifunctional plug having a first
actuating
stage and a second actuating stage, and the mentioned properties of the
multifunctional plug, the user may easily introduce external wires into the
multifunctional plug without having to strip the wires of insulation
beforehand, and
may establish the electrical connection of the internal wires with the
external
wires by actuating the plug cover. The external wires do not need to have a
plug-
in connector or the mating part of a plug-in connector. It is thus ensured
that the
external wire does not have to be prefabricated.
In one refinement of the invention, a shorting jumper is situated in the plug
base
body, and in the first actuating stage short-circuits the internal wires
and/or the

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associated blade contacts, and in the second actuating stage a short-circuit
plunger situated on the plug cover releases the shorting jumper from the
internal
wires and/or the associated blade contacts and eliminates the short circuit.
The
internal wires of the igniter in the transport state thus have a short circuit
which
compensates for possible differences in electrical potential during the
connecting
process, and in the use state is open, i.e., ready to use.
In one preferred embodiment, the shorting jumper is spring-loaded, or is a
spring
element which in the second actuating stage is pushed away from the electrical
contact by the short-circuit plunger against the elastic force thereof.
Shorting
jumpers of this type are totally secure, and also do not lose their properties
after
periods of extended storage.
In one preferred embodiment, the plug cover has circumferential grooves on its
peripheral surface for accommodating sealing rings which seal the plug cover
with respect to the plug base body. This seal prevents liquid from reaching
the
multifunctional plug.
In one preferred embodiment, the plug cover and the plug base body have a
cylindrical design. The multifunctional plug thus fits the igniter, which
generally
also has a cylindrical design. In addition, the plug cover may thus be easily
guided in the plug base body.
In one preferred embodiment, the plug cover has a function plunger by means of
which the plug cover is guided in the plug base body, and on its side facing
away
from the plug base body the function plunger has an actuating plate which
abuts
against the plug base body in the second actuating stage. A stop is provided
as a
result of the abutment against the plug base body in the second actuating
stage.
In one preferred embodiment, the pressure plungers and the short-circuit
plunger

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are situated on the side of the function plunger facing the plug base body,
and
the actuating plate is situated on the other side. As a result, the function
plunger
on the one hand is a support for the plunger, and on the other hand supports
the
actuating plate, i.e., the stop for the second actuating stage.
To ensure the electrical connection, at least one pressure plunger is situated
in
each case in front of and behind the blade contact in the direction of the
receiving
channels. In particular, four pressure plungers are provided, i.e., two
pressure
plungers for each external wire, one in front of and one behind the blade
contact.
In one embodiment of the invention, the plug base body is filled with a water-
repellent, gel-like medium for protection against penetrating moisture. This
medium on the one hand must allow the actuation of the plug cover together
with
its plungers, and on the other hand must fill the interior of the plug base
body so
that the igniter is impervious to liquid in the use state.
The plug base body and the plug cover are preferably plastic parts which are
easy to manufacture.
The invention thus describes a multifunctional plug for a standard electrical
or
electronic igniter which is used in the fields of mining, seismology, or oil
and gas.
The multifunctional plug is intended to connect standard unstripped wires to
the
electrical or electronic components. The multifunctional plug is characterized
in
that neither the multifunctional plug nor the wires is/are provided with a
coupling,
a plug, or a socket.
The multifunctional plug fulfills the following functions:
¨ Short circuit in the transport state
¨ Electrical connection of unstripped fed external wires

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- Compensation of a possible voltage potential of the fed external wires
¨ Opening of the short circuit for the use state
¨ Sealing of the electrical connection against moisture
The described functions are technically carried out as follows:
Figure 1 shows the complete igniter having a multifunctional plug and
wires;
Figure 2 shows the nonactuated multifunctional plug in the transport state,
having a short circuit;
Figure 3 shows the nonactuated multifunctional plug in the transport state,
having a short circuit and introduced wires;
Figure 4 shows the multifunctional plug during the actuating process, with
connected wires having a short circuit (in this phase of the
actuating process, the possible voltage potential of the fed wires is
compensated for via the shorting jumper, which is still closed); and
Figure 5 shows the plug in the use state with the shorting jumper open.
Figure 1 shows the complete igniter 8. The detonator 7, the plug base body 1,
the plug cover 2, and the external wires 6 which are introduced into the
multifunctional plug 1, 2 are visible. Each of Figures 2 through 5 shows the
same
multifunctional plug of the igniter in detail, one figure differing from the
others
solely by a rotation of the viewing angle by 900 about the longitudinal axis.
Compared to conventional igniters, the multifunctional plug of the igniter 8
according to the invention is designed in such a way that it is possible to
connect
external wires 6 of any desired length (the wires are preferably cylindrical
wires)
without having to strip the external wires 6 of insulation beforehand, and
without
the external wires 6 being provided with plug-in connectors. While the igniter
8 is
in the transport state or the stored state, the internal wires 4, which are

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connected to blade contacts 3, are connected to one another inside the plug
base body 1 via a shorting jumper 5, and are thus short-circuited (see Figure
2).
The risk of a voltage potential between the internal wires 4 is thus excluded.
A
mechanical lock or some other type of lock may optionally also be present
during
transport so that this short circuit cannot be interrupted by force or
improper
handling. Figure 2 shows the multifunctional plug in its transport state or
stored
state.
During use of the igniter 8 and after removal of the optional lock, two
external
wires 6 are manually introduced into each receiving channel 9 in the plug base
body 1 (see Figure 3). In the embodiment shown here, the multifunctional plug
is
composed of a cylindrical plug base body 1 and a cylindrical plug cover 2
which
is displaceable in the plug base body 1. The plug cover 2 is composed of a
function plunger 13, whereby pressure plungers 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and a short-
circuit plunger 11 are situated on the side facing the plug base body 1, and
an
actuating plate 14 is situated on the function plunger 13 on the opposite
side, and
protrudes beyond the plug base body 1 and acts as a stop. The plug cover 2 is
guided with its function plunger 13 in the cylindrical plug base body 1, and
is
displaceable from a first actuating stage into a second actuating stage.
The pressure plungers 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d on the function plunger 13 do not
protrude into the receiving channels 9 in which the external wires 6 are
inserted.
In this stage or this state, the internal wires 6 are connected to one another
via a
shorting jumper 5. In this state, the plug cover 2 protrudes farthest beyond
the
plug base body 1.
In the first actuating stage (see Figure 4), which is achieved by a first
pushing of
the plug cover 2 or its function plunger 13 into the plug base body 1, the
pressure
plungers 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d situated on the function plunger 13 of the plug
cover
2 are pushed into the receiving channels 9. In the process, the pressure
plungers

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10a, 10b, 10c, 10d push a partial section of an external wire 6, introduced at
that
location, perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the
receiving
channels 9.
A slot-shaped blade contact 3 is situated In each of the two receiving
channels 9,
the blade contacts 3 being connected to the internal wires 6 in an
electrically
conductive manner. In this first actuating stage, the pressure plungers 10a,
10b,
10c, 10d push the external wires 6 into the blade contacts 3 in such a way
that
the blade contacts 3 strip the insulation from the external wires 6 and
establish
an electrical connection of the external wires 6 with the internal wires 4.
In the second actuating stage (see Figure 5), the plug cover 2 is pushed
further
into the plug base body 1 until the actuating plate 14 abuts against the plug
base
body 1. The short-circuit plunger 11 thus pushes the shorting jumper 5 away
from
the electrical contact, so that the short circuit is eliminated. The igniter
is then
ready to use.
In the described closing process of the multifunctional plug, in a first stage
an
electrical connection is thus established between the blade contacts 3 or the
internal wires 4 and the two external wires 6 (see Figure 4). During the
closing
process, in this first actuating stage any voltage potentials between the
external
wires 6 are compensated for by the shorting jumper 5. In the second actuating
stage of the closing process, the shorting jumper 5 is open and the short
circuit is
eliminated (Figure 5).
Stripping the two external wires 6 of insulation beforehand is not necessary.
In
the closed state, the igniter or detonator is insulated against moisture and
is
pressure-tight, as is the case for conventional igniters or detonators.
The closing process is explained once more:

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State 1: The closing process of the igniter 8 or detonator is carried out by
pressing down the plug cover 2. The term "plug" always refers to the
multifunctional plug. The external wires 6 introduced into the plug base body
1
are stripped of insulation, and the electrical connection with the internal
wires 4 is
established via the blade contacts 3.
State 2: Position 2 or state 2 is achieved by pushing the plug cover 2 in
further.
The external wires 6 and the internal wires 4 are thus no longer connected by
the
shorting jumper 5; i.e., the short circuit is eliminated (see Figure 5). This
occurs
due to the short-circuit plunger 11, which pushes the shorting jumper 5 away
from the electrical contact, i.e., the blade contact 3, on one side.
Figure 2 shows the multifunctional plug in the stored and/or transport state.
No
external wires 6 are connected.
To use the igniter, the external wires 6 are introduced into the plug base
body 1
(Figure 3). The external wires do not need to be stripped of insulation
beforehand. When this has occurred, the plug is brought into its position 1
(Figure 4) by pushing in the plug cover 1, i.e., by an action of force. During
this
actuating process the external wires 6 are stripped of insulation and
connected to
the internal wires 4 in an electrically conductive manner. The short circuit
as a
result of the shorting jumper 5 is thus maintained.
Position 2 is achieved (Figure 5) by pushing the plug cover in further. During
this
actuating process the shorting jumper 5 is open, so that the short circuit is
also
eliminated. The igniter may now be used.
The function plunger 5 may have two circumferential grooves 12 on its outer
periphery, into which a sealing ring is inserted in each case (not shown in
the

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figures for the sake of simplicity). An optional, further, or additional seal
may be
achieved, for example, via a gel-like medium in the plug.

Representative Drawing